Friendship, In a Fashion
by chizombi
Summary: When pretty-on-the-outside model Vanity gets paired with the up-and-coming designer Rarity for a fashion competition their personalities and styles clash. Can they make it work long enough to beat the competition or will their animosity ruin their reputations?
1. Introduction

I wasn't the nicest mare in the fashion industry. In fact, I may have been one of the most pretentious and mean models in Canterlot. I did some things I'll regret for a while and that I'm not proud of.

I started out my modeling career when I was a very young filly. My mother, Mirror Shine, had taken me to a popular filly clothing store in Canterlot. That day a newer designer was directing the setup of his newest line. Mother loved the new clothes so much she decided I would have an outfit composed entirely of their design. "It is always better to be a trendsetter, then a trend-getter," she would say.

When the designer stallion saw me walk out of the dressing room in the barding he'd worked so hard to create it caught his attention. He rushed over, finishing the look with a big blue mane bow. While gushing about how well I complimented his designs he insisted I must model next week for a photoshoot. My mother pushed me into the job quickly and next thing I knew I had an agent, modelling lessons when I wasn't in school, and photoshoots every weekend. I became a model because of that designer. His name was Silken Saddle and I forgot him much too swiftly in my rise to fame.

I excelled at modelling, but even though I was talented at it I still didn't get my cutie mark for it. Mother would tell me that a lack of cutie mark at my age made me unique, but was bad at hiding her frustration. She wanted me to be a model so badly that the fact that I didn't get a cutie mark for it made her panic and push me to do more lessons and auditions. While I was beginning to get a little rebellious about modelling, her actions did help me get my cutie mark in the end.

Just like any model my looks defined my success. I had a grey coat and a short cropped black mane with purple strips, but it was really my bright green eyes that contrasted so greatly from the rest of my colors that seemed to draw the most attention. My looks didn't fit every clothing style so I was turned down for some jobs. When word released of an audition for a hugely popular brand that focused on frilly designs my mother panicked and took me to a salon to "tame" my look with hair dye.

It was horrible. I was all the wrong shades and my mane didn't bleach evenly. As expected, when I walked into the audition they laughed. After dealing with my mother, the salon, and the embarrassment of standing in front of the judges looking like I did - well, I snapped. My pride couldn't take any more abuse from ponies telling me how I wasn't good enough.

With my anger misdirected, I ranted at them about what I'd been through to try to appeal to their snobbish brand and while doing a rude mimicry of the type of girl they _would_ want to model their line, tears in my eyes, they stopped laughing to gasp and stare. My horn had made my mimicry more accurate than I'd intended; my magic shimmered around me, turning my coat powder blue and my mane pastel pink. The newest and permanent addition to my look was a cute little skull and a blue bow. They contracted me for the job without seeing another model.

As a unicorn I'd never been very magically inclined, but apparently my magic was a big part of my special talent. I learned it was called "Changeling Magic." It was rare, but not completely uncommon according to the history books. I could change everything about my look except my bones. It took a lot of concentration because of my lack of magical background, but I was getting better at it with every different look I tried. Mother, of course, was ecstatic and I became the most wanted model faster than I could blink my long eyelashes.

My rebellious streak took over in full swing after a particularly exhausting day running between different photoshoots and arguing with mother about what brands I would promote. I knew modelling for "alternative" styles irritated her so I chose them over higher paying and popular brands. After I moved into my own apartment I made a public vow that I was no longer going to use my Changeling Magic for modeling jobs.

The alternative industry thought that was just fine considering my regular appearance fit their styles and luckily I'd gathered enough fame since the start of my career that designers from non-alternative big name brands would design more alternative barding just to get me on their runways. My actions amused people, giving me a boost in popularity that gave me more power over my jobs than most models got.

That's probably where my mean streak really started. After wrongfully placing the blame on the fashion industry I felt I was better than the rest of the doe-eyed mares that walked down the runway because of my choices. I treated them like they were lesser than me. Models seem to be particularly inclined towards cruelty, but how I treated other was appalling. It was a no wonder I'd never had a friend before.

My name is Vanity, and I'm not the hero of this story. I'm the villain.


	2. Chapter 1

My agent - an overzealous Earthpony mare named Sweet Gab - was at my house this morning to run me through today's schedule. While being excited seemed to be her default setting most of the time she was even more exuberant than normal and it was starting to grate on me; this was the fourth time that, in her haste to get through her list, she'd forgotten to take her pen out of her mouth before speaking. When it looked like she was about to make the same mistake a fifth time I interrupted my mane brushing by using my magic to pull the pen from between her teeth.

"Gabby! Just tell me what you are so excited about so we can get back to focusing on the schedule," I said harshly.

I knew my words hurt her feeling by the way she lowered her ears slightly, but they did have the desired effect. She composed herself and proceeded professionally.

"You've been invited to participate in the Annual Equestrian Fashion Competition as a model."

"Do I have time for it?" I telekinetically clipped her pen back into her scheduler and resumed grooming myself.

"Well, business typically slows down during this time since everyone is focusing on the competition and most of what you have scheduled during the competition time is small stuff and not on the VIP list."

My VIP list was just designers or brands I really liked. It was a short list and when one of them wanted me I would rearrange my entire schedule to fit their photoshoot in.

I shook my head. "Part of what makes me unique is the type of clothes I wear, Gabby. Top designers will go out of their way to design something that I'll actually wear and that complements the color of my fur. We aren't partnered with a designer until the first event and who knows who I'll get or what I might have to wear. I could end up looking like a fool."

Truthfully, it was more than that. In a competition the regular model drama would be blown out of proportion. I'd have to stay at whatever housing they'd arranged with all the other competitors for 3 months and have no privacy. The only jobs I could take during that period were with the competition's sponsors and at the end of every week my value would be judged based on how I walked down the runway.

Gabby stood up straighter and cleared her throat. I had a feeling she'd been practicing a speech to persuade me to accept the invitation and I was about to hear it. "To be honest, I think your career really needs this. Your elegance and darker colors made you unique as well as diverse to do many types of jobs, but you are starting to lose jobs to newer models. Your relevance has diminished and this competition would be the perfect way to advertise your skills. You could remind everyone how amazing you are."

I gave her a stern look. "My relevance?"

She cowered. "I just meant that we aren't getting as many requests for you recently."

I sighed. No matter how much I detested the idea, Sweet Gab was good at her job and always right. "I will consider it."

"Answers need to be submitted in three days," she replied shakily.

Gab was my third and longest working agent so far. The first one quit because I was "just too much" and the last one I fired. Outwardly, I'd always had a sharp tongue and a nasty temper, but on this inside I was cringing just like Sweet Gab was. _I'm sorry I'm so mean…_

 **~ Rarity ~**

"Now you need to stand still if you ever want me to finish this dress in time, darling," the white mare spoke kindly, but sternly, to her client.

Applejack shifted uncomfortably with a sour look on her face. "But it's all itchy! I feel like I'm being pricked in some places."

"That's because you _are_ being pricked in places, silly! You've shifted so much the pins must be poking you." Rarity adjusted the elegant yellow dress and poked another pin through.

"Well, I don't like it. Aren't you almost done yet?"

"Yes, I am almost done and stop complaining. You came to me, remember?" Rarity started removing the dress from her orange friend carefully.

"A mistake I won't be making again," Applejack joked. Then more seriously, "I really do appreciate you doing this. My cousin is happier than a pig in mud that the designer for a royal wedding is designing her dress for her wedding.

"Oh, don't mention it, dear!" She used her magic to move the dress to her sewing station. "When a friend asks for a favor I just can't refuse them!"

There was a sudden crash - _THUD_ \- outside. Rarity checked the time and then started walking to the door. "That's probably Ditzy Doo with the mail," she commented, an unamused look on her face that suggested this had happened one too many times before. She replaced it with a smile before opening the door.

A grey pegasus mare lay on the doorstep, a mouthful of letters falling all around her.

"Hiya, Rarity! I got some mail for you." Ditzy picked herself up and started checking addresses on the letters around her. "Well, it's a few of these. I just have to find which ones."

"Why don't you use my empty table over there to sort them? I am actually quite glad you, er, dropped in. I have a small gift for you for helping me with the decorations last week."

Applejack jumped down from the pedestal and helped pick up letters while Rarity cantered off to the kitchen to get Ditzy's surprise.

"Thank you for helping!" Ditzy said, looking at Applejack oddly - which couldn't be helped considering her eye condition.

"Not a problem. Let's get these over to that there table and start sorting them out. I'll just pick out the ones for Rarity so you can focus on sorting the rest. The two blondes got to work.

Rarity came back with basket floating beside her. "Now, at first I was going to make some pretty cupcakes, but then I remembered how fond you were of muffins. They're chocolate chip and almond."

Ditzy gave her a big smile. "Thanks! I love muffins!" Tucking the sorted letters back into her saddle, she retrieved a big envelope and handed it over. "This is the only one of yours I didn't drop."

Applejack pushed a few letters towards Rarity. "And here's the rest o' them she did dro-" She stopped what she was saying to lunge forward and catch the falling basket as the white unicorn mare looked shocked at the large envelope she was just given.

"Now wha' wa' da point o' dat?!" AJ mumbled crossly around the basket handle.

"Nice catch," said Ditzy as she took the basket from it's saviour. "What's wrong, Rarity?"

"This is from the Equestria Fashion Competition Committee! What could they possibly be writing a letter to me about? And only months away from the annual competition…"

"Ya'd know what it was about if ya'd stop staring at it and opened it already," Applejack replied dryly.

Ditzy Doo, content that nothing was wrong, took her muffins and started to leave. "Thanks for the help and the muffins. I've got to get these other letters out now."

Rarity didn't even look up to acknowledge the pegasus' departure. Containing her excitement she floated a letter opener from her desk and slit the side. Carefully, as if handling the most delicate silk, she withdrew the parchment inside.

After a few moments of reading through her red glasses she looked up at her friend with a started expression. "Applejack, this is...an invitation… to compete in the… oh!"

She fainted. Applejack dutifully extended a leg to catch her.


End file.
